In the field of plastics there continues to be a need for materials that have good mechanical properties, and which are relatively inexpensive and efficient to make. With the recent upsurge in raw material prices and the cost of energy for processing the materials, the search has intensified for attractive alternative materials systems that satisfy the physical and mechanical needs met by many current commercial plastics. In the field of thermoplastic polyolefins, for example, it would be attractive to have an effective material system that reduces the dependency upon pre-fabricating compounding steps, particularly those that subject the starting materials to heat history, that require energy consumption for processing, or both.
Examples from the literature addressing the preparation of materials in this field include Published U.S. Application Nos. US20040048967A1, 20050070673A1, 20050250890A1, 20050049346A1; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,732,926; 5,130,076; 6,403,691; and 6,441,081; EP Patent Application No. 0987091A1; JP Patent Application 2004168876; WO2004/031292A2; Verbraak, C., et al, “Screw Design in Injection Molding,” Polym. Eng. & Sci., Vol. 29, No. 7, 1989, pp 479-487; Han, C. D., et al, “Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Injection Molded Specimens of Two-Phase Polymer Blends,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 21, 1977, pp 353-370; and “EXACT Plastomers—High Performance Solutions for TPO Applications,” ExxonMobil Technical Bulletin, May, 2005, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.